Advanced Placement test scores have increased over the last two years. Of the 153 AP students at Mill Valley, roughly 137 scored a passing grade of a three or higher on the AP tests in the 2011-2012 school year. This equals 89.4 percent, compared to the state average of 62.1 percent in the same year.

The amount of students that earned a three or above grew by about five percent as compared to the 2010-2011 students who participated in the exams. Likewise, there was about a one percent gain of passing scores from the 2010-2011 school year in the state of Kansas.

Last year, over 200 students enrolled in AP courses to gain college credit by taking a national test at the end of the year.

Language and Composition teacher Kristen Crosbie prepared her AP students for the exam during the majority of class. This helped students become familiar with the type of questions and essay prompts asked on the exam.

“We practiced all year by writing in class and out of class essays on things they would have to know. We also practiced multiple choice tests,” Crosbie said. “Really the only studying my students could do that we didn’t study in class was to study terms that could be on the test.”

Senior Stephanie Ciston recalled her study methods that helped her pass the tests.

“I took the AP US History and the AP Language and Composition tests,” Ciston said. “I bought note cards and an AP book to study.”